Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The breadth of the contributions by Members of the House today and yesterday speaks to the scale of the impact of Storm Éowyn. It was, as Deputy Gogarty said, a hurricane-type event, with winds of 180 km/h, which illustrates the severity. We can see the impact it is having on families and communities, throughout the west and north west in particular, and every one of us regrets its impact and the suffering and hardship it has caused to people. As Members will have noted, the work of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group, in proclaiming a red weather warning, helped saved lives during the storm, and I join other Members in extending my sympathies to the family of Kacper Dudek.

I thank the Members of the House for their contributions today and yesterday. It is our duty to reflect on the stories we have heard, the lived experiences and the real hardship of people - ghnáthdhaoine, muintir na tíre. Families and communities were devastated, waiting to be reconnected. I have spoken to people who have been affected by the storm and are still without power in some cases. My good friend, Councillor Gerry Coyle, spoke to the frustration, this morning on "Morning Ireland" and on the phone to me over recent days, spoke to the frustration, and Deputy Conway-Walsh spoke likewise yesterday. If we do nothing else, we must learn, look at the shortcomings and see how we can make things better, in a non-political way. The Taoiseach was right yesterday, on the Order of Business, when he said we need to have a fundamental rethink about storm resilience. Members in their contributions have given a lot of good information, which I hope will be used in the response to the storm.

As Minister of State at the Department of community development, I thank the community and voluntary groups and others who work so tirelessly with our local government officials to provide basic services for those in need. The meitheal in our country still works. We have seen time and again the power of community and of the spirit of the people, and when it is challenged, our people rise. The difficulties, from Covid to the various storms, have brought the best out of our people, and I thank them. The voluntary ethos expressed by so many in this House and the well-developed volunteer infrastructure in our country are extraordinary.

Deputies Brian Brennan and Martin Daly mentioned our farming community. Our farmers are unsung heroes in our rural communities and we thank them for the support and help they gave to so many of their neighbours. Equally, our volunteer centres and the volunteers in our communities have worked to make life better for people in the worst affected counties. A key priority for me, as the new Minister of State, will be to engage with affected communities who continue to be impacted by the challenge on foot of the storm. Members can be assured of my commitment to visiting and speaking to communities and of the Department's continuing support for communities throughout the country over the coming weeks and months.

Whether that is, as Members said, about the use of generators, the role of generators in pump stations, community hubs, community centres and sporting grounds, let us not be afraid to tackle and change how we do business. Deputy O'Reilly mentioned childcare and crèches. Let it be put on record so that it should never be forgotten.

In terms of the community response, Members should recognise that many of the community spaces and emergency response hubs provided are facilities funded by Government through CLÁR, the community investment fund, LEADER and the local enhancement programme. Imagine if we did not have that money to put into infrastructure in our communities. The last week has demonstrated the importance of the SICAP programme, which supports the most vulnerable people and their families in our country. SICAP is a flexible programme where funding is targeted to those most in need in their communities. The various groups implementing SICAP have contributed to the State response to the storm. Some 380 hubs were in operation last week. Today, around 330 remain in operation, supporting those people who still require and need supports. They will be kept in place for as long as needed. The continued investment by the Department under various schemes will serve to ensure a robust and enhanced network of community facilities continues to be put in place. The debate over the past two days illustrates the importance of reflecting upon what did not work so well. I acknowledge that Government will learn from the response, take on board some of the views expressed today and work with Members to ensure our response in the future will override the difficulties we have seen, such as the issues of the resilience of our infrastructure, availability and prioritisation of equipment such as generators, and forward planning for the provision of emergency hubs in advance of future extreme events.

I bhfianaise na cúraimí atá ar mo Roinn nua, táim airdeallach go raibh pobail leochaileacha agus iargúlta, iad siúd atá lonnaithe ar na hoileáin agus sna Gaeltachtaí san áireamh, i measc na ceantair ba mheasa a bhí buailte ag an stoirm. Is féidir liom geallúint a thabhairt do na pobail sin go rabhamar airdeallach orthu riamh, le linn agus i ndiaidh na stoirme, agus go bhfuilimid tiomanta cinntiú go mbeidh ar chumas na pobail sin déileáil le heachtraí den saghas sin.

On supports, we heard over the past number of days, details of the humanitarian assistance put in place. I remind Members that the Minister, Deputy Calleary

On supports, we heard over recent days details of the humanitarian assistance put in place. I remind Members that the Minister, Deputy Calleary, activated a scheme on Thursday, 23 January in advance of the storm's arrival. It continues to be available to members of the public to provide support to those living in properties directly affected by the storm. I take on board the views of Members of all sides on the need for clarity and clearer communications, which I will bring back to the Department. The community welfare service in the Department of Social Protection administers the humanitarian assistance, and community welfare officers and services have been working with 14 local co-ordination groups throughout the country, visiting people in their homes where necessary to provide support. The community welfare service is and has been engaged and will continue to be so. The Department of Social Protection has to date issued 3,818 stage 1 payments, totalling €727,792, to people who at the time the application was approved did not have any power or water supply due to the storm.

I ask Deputy Bennett to provide details of the people whose cases she raised because it is a pertinent point. If you cannot get access to the Internet to submit you details, you should not be penalised given the situation. I would be happy to talk to her about that. Her point is a good one, that there should be flexibility in that regard. I remind all Members that the Department of Social Protection's humanitarian assistance scheme remains open for those who require support and information.

I again thank all of the emergency services, local authority workers, ESB international and local crews and volunteers involved in helping with the recovery, while acknowledging the length of time some people have been affected is far longer that we hoped. You cannot talk out of both sides of your mouth. You cannot talk about climate change, be for and then be against. We have to be real. In some cases, people are not. I again thank Members for their contributions. It incumbent on us that we learn, and it is important we ensure more resilient communities for the future.

In the context of what the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, said regarding the Clonbanin road, I am very familiar with it; it is in County Cork. It is in real need of upgrading. The project is one we should see concluded.

The chief executive of the ESB's remarks were inappropriate at a time when people are looking for leadership from him as CEO of the ESB. I think he should reflect on what he said.

Deputy Smith's contribution on transmission line corridors is one we should all take on board.

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